Product Description

John Denver stars in this dramatic thriller set against the awesome backdrop of the Alaskan wilderness. A disillusioned FBI agent decides to retire and join his buddy running an air freight business. When his friend is murdered and unjustly branded a bootlegger, the former agent sets out to clear his friend's name.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #17184 in DVD
• Brand: Sony
• Released on: 2009-01-27
• Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Color, Dubbed, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC, Subtitled
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English, French
• Dubbed in: French
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 96 minutes

Amazon.com
Singer-songwriter John Denver sought to reboot his career and carve out a new role for himself as an action hero with Higher Ground. This TV movie, clearly intended as a pilot for a possible series, stars Denver as former FBI agent Jim Clayton, who goes to Alaska when the incompetence of his superiors at the bureau becomes unbearable. In the vast wilderness, he teams up with an old friend named Rick, who has an air freight business. But Rick soon turns up dead and it's up to Jim to clear his friend's name of bootlegging charges and bring peace to Rick's wife and son. Along the way, of course, there's an occasion for Denver to pull out his guitar and exercise his soaring tenor. The plot and overall quality is standard television fare of the 1980s: The bad guys are obviously bad, a young boy needs to regain his faith in humanity, and solving the case doesn't involve detective work so much as looking earnest and getting into awkwardly choreographed fist fights. Still, Denver's sincere and likable personality comes through and fans will enjoy his performance. Also starring John Rhys-Davies (Raiders of the Lost Ark, the Lord of the Rings trilogy) and Richard Masur (Risky Business). --Bret Fetzer

Customer Reviews

John Denver Gets Tough in Alaska
I'm happy that another one of John Denver's TV movies is being released officially rather than a backroom under the counter thing. He made some genuine films and this is another one that will thrill the JD enthusiast.

Set in LA and Alaska, John takes on the bootleggers of Alaska after becoming frustrated with corporate FBI procedures. He turns gritty and still keeps that John Denver appeal that we all grew up with. While this movie was released 20 years ago on CBS, it withstands those two decades as genuine entertainment. He only sings one song but it is part of the movie's plot and not a solo cutaway.

Get it while you can, it probably will be a limited release and end up on ebay at some point.

A "must-have" for John Denver fans
I eagerly awaited delivery of this newly released DVD. It arrived in yesterday's mail and I watched it last night. I was truly surprised with John's performance. Admittedly, he was not a great actor, but a substantially good one. Of his films that I've seen, this was his best. The casting is superb; the acting well directed with fine performances all around. The scenery is magnificent and John sings and plays. A perfect evening of entertainment.

JOHN DENVER
This little telefilm is a must have for John Denver fans. If, for no other reason, it is one of the few films he ever did. Otherwise, there is not much about it that is worth anything. The story isn't bad. The scenic shots of Alaska are stunning. It is a big budget production with a fairly solid cast. The direction is weak and unimaginative and the writing appalling. The entire film makes you wince given the words that these actors have to struggle with. However, for JD fans, it's a chance to spend some time with him. The character he plays is really John Denver as an FBI agent. "Oh God" gave us JD when he was much younger. This film gives you a more mature JD. Aside from "Oh God", "Foxfire" with Jessica Tandy is a much better film with John. The, as yet to be released in DVD telefilm "The Christmas Gift" is also a better choice to see JD. He's a pretty natural actor and, in "The Christmas Gift", he sings a lovely verse from one of his more contemporary songs, "Love Again" - an added bonus.